By Anusha Trivedi '23

On the last day of school before Thanksgiving break, Notre Dame’s mental health leadership group, Lighthouse, held a “Stress Less & Give Thanks” party to give students an opportunity to practice some self care. The weeks before a long break can often be stressful for students who may be experiencing burnout, especially for seniors working to complete college applications, so Lighthouse aimed to bring some positivity and relaxation to the Notre Dame community. At this event, they provided friendship bracelet-making, coloring pages, soothing music and pumpkin pie for students to enjoy with their friends during lunch in the Center for Career & Life Success (CWL206) in the Center for Women’s Leadership.

When Friday came around, CWL 206 was full of Thanksgiving spirit and lively conversation, with more than 100 students participating in this gathering. Abbey '23, one of the Lighthouse student leaders, shared her reflections on the event: “I think after a really challenging and busy first few months of school, this Stress Less & Give Thanks party was really beneficial for students to relax and spend some quality time with friends — while having pie, of course. The fall is a very busy time and taking some time away from school and screens and simply focusing on yourself, your relationships, and giving thanks goes a long way.”